Still
using SmartCAM FFM to drive our VMCs, mostly prismatic parts with pockets,
holes tapping, slots, profiles, little bit of free form ect. We are currently looking for a new CAM
program to integrate with Solid Works.
With SmartCAM I feel that just about anything can be customized. Im a little bit reluctant to switch to
another program, they don't seem to be as customizable (CG, tool path, macros
ect) as SmartCAM. The new
technology might help with feature recognition. We received Ideas and Genmach
when SDRC was the purchaser, wow that was going backward fast compared to
SmartCam. If I can find a good
CAM package to use with native Solid Works files and it has half the ability
of SmartCAM, I think I might be able to become productive once again. We all have to realize that eventually
SmartCam will unfortunately be put out to pasture. At least I haven't been paying
maintenance for the last couple of years, that will help when I have to get
the checkbook out to pay for a new CAM package. Came in at 3:00am so I could get a
full day in before Thanksgiving dinner, so excuse any confusing sentences
J
Does
anyone else use Solid Works and a CAM package together? Or heard of any
recomandations.
Happy
Thanksgiving
John
CBR Industries, Inc.
CNC Milling &
Turning
www.cbrcnc.com
-----Original
Message-----
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
Behalf Of Jeff Pieper
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2001 1:07
PM
To: SmartCAM List
Server
Subject:
To
All,
I wonder how many
other companies along with ourselves
still solely use
SmartCAM. I see the same 8 names on this
forum. Are we the
last of the dieing breed?
What machines do you
program with it?
I'm just curious
about how others program the same part
on all 4 sides of the
tombstone on a HMC. If the program
has 10 tools per
part, do all 10 tools run on B0 then again
on B90, etc. creating
40 tool changes or do you prefer to
rotate the pallet 4
times for each tool?
If the latter,
how?
Also, does anyone
else program a Niigata PN40 HMC,
Mori-Seiki SH50, or
Mori-Seiki SV500 VMC?
How about a Daewoo
VMC? What code is used for rigid
tapping on this
machine? What should the code look like?
Does anyone have an
operator of the machine that you
program that
continually marks up and changes the program
to his preference? I
have operators that run the program as is
with not one change,
but when this one individual runs the same
program he always has
to change something. I don't like marked
up programs in the
shop. Operators question it everytime instead
of just cycle
starting the darn thing.
How about 20
year old operators that hire in fresh from
McDonald's
that are telling you
how to do your job? We've got two of them that
are trying to get a
feather in their hat. Their ideas were used back
in
the 70's when we used
to have tape machines.
I was just curious to
know if others have these problems or how
other
shops programmed
there machines.
Thanks for your
feedback in advance.
Have a Happy
Thanksgiving.
Jeff
Pieper
Pieper CNC Programming &
Design
EATON Hydraulics
